The Path of Fate
by iceangelmkx
Summary: Many souls have been affected by the evil deeds of the sorcerer Shang Tsung throughout the years. Two of those souls will find each other as they seek to redeem themselves and avenge their bloodline. Follows the 1st MK Timeline.
1. The Labyrinth

**A/N: I actually posted this story back in 2011, but due to major writer's block and changes in my life, I ended up putting this story on hiatus after only three chapters. I never wanted to leave this story unfinished and had wanted to return to it for some time. Now I am. I deleted the original post and decided to start fresh. For those who have read and enjoyed it before, I hope you do so again.  
**

**This story follows the first MK timeline with some creative liberty of my own to 'fill in the blanks.' Although the story primarily focuses on two characters from the Post-MK3 games, it will also feature characters from the first three games.**

* * *

**C****hapter One – The Labyrinth**

**Earthrealm**

The wind blew lightly as an elderly man walked through a path, supporting himself by his tall walking stick. Gazing up towards the sky, he noticed that the sun was starting to descent downward, and he guessed that it would be dark within the next hour or so. He had a particular destination in mind… a small isolated village he was told earlier was in the direction he was heading towards. His feet, only protected by a pair of wooden sandals, were somewhat sore, but it was nothing that he wasn't used to.

'_Perhaps another half hour will do,'_ the elderly man thought to himself. '_Maybe I will be able to see the village by then._' With that in mind, he continued forward.

By then, the wind had picked up, whistling into the elder's ears. He narrowed his eyes, doing his best to keep the wind out of them. His orange robes blew in front of him, and he was grateful to be fully bald in this situation rather than possessing long hair. It would have annoyed him, he imagined.

After going up a small hill, the elderly man saw some lights in the distance. By then, the sun was gone, but it still left half the sky in some light, and it would only be a matter of time before it was nothing but a dark blanket filled with stars. He then noticed that the lights near the village seemed to be gathering, and the old man realized that they were people holding torches. From his point of view, they seemed to be gathering in a circle as though they were about to watch something.

'_Perhaps I arrived at an interesting time,_' he guessed as he proceeded to walk forward.

A few minutes later, the elderly man reached the crowd. Wanting to get a better look at what was going on, he gently pushed his way through, and the people obliged. It seemed as though these particular people had respect for their elders.

Soon, he reached the front of the crowd, and the old man was able to get a much better look at what was going on in the circle. Immediately, he noticed two very large men standing next to each other. One held a broadsword, the other held an axe. Both of their faces were written with determination as the two stared at the individual standing some twenty feet away in front of them.

The elderly man turned to that individual, a young man whom he guessed was in his early twenties. He held two old-looking katanas, one in each hand. Although he stood just over six feet tall and was well-leaned, he looked dwarfed compared to the two hulking opponents he was about to face.

The bigger man with the sword gripped tightly on the weapon's hilt with both hands. "You're going to regret challenging the both of us!" he called out.

"Consider this your death warrant," the one with the axe added.

In the crowd, the elder man noted a small smirk that crept up the corners of the young man's lips. "We'll see about that," he replied with conviction.

'_He's confident,_' the old man thought in his mind. '_Perhaps he's_ too_ confident._ _It's almost per-_'

His thoughts were suddenly cut off as the two larger men stepped forward, ready to fight. The younger man tightened his grip on the pair of katanas in his hands and suddenly sprinted forward.

The moment had happened very rapidly, and only the elderly man standing in front of the crowd realized what had transpired. The young man had planned his move in his head, perhaps long before the old man showed up. With his head bowed down, he ran forward in fast speed, taking the opportunity to move just as his two opponents were ready to go, barely getting the chance to raise their own weapons. He managed to get in between them, ducking underneath their muscular arms. Then, with only quick swift, he used each katana to slice them both through their bellies at once.

Blood spewed out as a shocked looks came over the two hulking men. Both were confident that they would defeated their younger and much smaller opponent, only to meet death themselves just as that idea was completed in their minds.

Once it was over, the young man stopped in his tracks, kneeling down on one knee and not bothering to turn around to see the damage that he just made. He already knew… it wasn't the first time he defeated an opponent like this, though the others before them gave him more of a fight than these two did.

The hulking man with the axe collapsed first. The one with the sword stood for another moment. "How… could…" was all he was able to say before falling forward with death taking his life at that moment.

The younger man stood back up as the crowd began to disperse. Only the elderly man stood in his spot and he waited until most of the crowd was far enough to be out of ear shot.

The swordsman seemed to have waited for the crowd to leave as well, and he was just beginning to depart before he heard soft footsteps behind him. He stopped in his tracks, having a feeling that this person was personally approaching him for whatever reason. Perhaps another challenger was coming forward.

"You've done well, I'm very impressed," the elderly man said. "You're quite skilled for one as young as yourself."

The young swordsman turned to him. "I've had better," he admitted. "The one with the sword… I was told before coming here that he was a master swordsman and was undefeated." He laughed dryly at that. "Perhaps I was told wrong."

Seeing the swordsman close up, the old man noted that he didn't look as though he was from this part of the world. However, his accent told him that he was indeed a native of Japan. Though the young man had some Asian traits including black hair that hung just above his ears, the elder also noted some prominent European features which comprised of blue eyes.

"Maybe," the elderly man replied. "But even so, not many people your age are able to take on an opponent that big, let alone two at once."

A smirk that was certainly filled with pride came over the swordsman's face. "That is true."

The old man scanned his dark eyes at the two swords in the young man's hands. Both were still stained with the blood of his recent opponents. "I can only guess that you've had those two weapons of yours for quite some time. If I hadn't known better, I'd say both were older than you."

"They are," the younger male nodded, holding up the katana in his right hand. "I don't know how old they are exactly, but to me, it doesn't matter as long as it gets the job done."

"I see. Let me ask you something. You look to be a traveler, one who challenges other swordsmen such as yourself, am I correct?"

The swordsman nodded before the older man proceeded. "What is your motivation? What made you decide to go around the world seeking to challenge other swordsmen? Redemption? Lost knowledge? Or perhaps you are seeking vengeance on one swordsman in particular?"

There was a brief silence between them, and the elder male had noted a hint of what looked like irritation in the young man. He guessed that the warrior wasn't used to holding a conversation with anyone, let alone an old stranger asking him questions about his own life choices.

Soon, the younger man answered. "I simply wish to be the best."

"That's all?"

"It's all I live for."

The older man scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I see. If you don't mind me asking, what is your name?"

"Why do you want to know?" the warrior asked with a hint of suspicion.

"Well, I've been seeking a young swordsman to help me in my journey to the mountains of China. I only wish to know whether or not the legend of Sento is true. Out there is an old place of worship called the House of Pekara. Legend has it that within the holy place is what some had called the Well of Souls. Inside that well is Sento."

Although the swordsman wasn't exactly interested in whatever this legend was that the elderly man was fascinated by, he realized that the older male had a reason to want his help. "Who is Sento?" he asked.

"Sento is not a 'who.' It is an ancient sword. All that is known about it is that it was held by many great warriors over the centuries."

"Do you wish to seek the sword for yourself?" the warrior asked.

"No, I only wish to merely discover if the sword's existence is true. At my age, there is not too much fight left in me, so I have no use for the sword. There are quite a few legends I had sought out, some with success, some with failure. This would be my last journey; to find out if the sword is real. Once I know the truth, then I can return to my home and live out the rest of my days."

"Why do you need my help if that's all you want to do?"

"I'm an old man. Traveling has become weary for me the older I get. That fact alone has made me realize that this would be my final journey to find out Sento's existence. Once I had discovered the location of the House of Pekara, I knew that I couldn't pass up the opportunity to travel there.

"I need a traveling companion, a young one who can withstand the journey. I also seek a swordsman for one reason… if the journey is successful and Sento really does exist, then it is yours to keep as a reward for helping me."

Hearing this, the young warrior looked down at the two swords in his hands. "Thank you, but I'm not interested," he said after a few seconds of silence. "Besides, I have no need for another sword."

"Ah, but you must remember," the old man replied. "Sento is an ancient sword known to have been wielded by many great warriors for hundreds of years. I imagine that the sword reflected their greatness whenever they marched to battle."

"I can also imagine that sword is much older than the two I have now," the younger male mentioned. "What good would that do?"

"Perhaps you are right. However, what if it was still in good condition? If so, imagine what it could do for you, especially in the future as you seek to become the best swordsman in the world. A swordsman should always have a sword that reflects his greatness, especially to those he faces in battle."

The young man was a bit annoyed by his persistence. However, the last sentence made him think for a minute. Perhaps the old man was right and that this ancient sword could reflect his skills and superiority. He knew that he was the best, but there were still other swordsmen in the world he wished to challenge. If he indeed had this sword in his hand, if its existence was real, he could only imagine the reputation it would give him.

The young warrior finally nodded. "How long is the journey?" he asked.

"About a week," the old man answered. "But I have a feeling that it will be worth it in the end."

"You better be right. However, if you're correct about this sword and it does do well for me, I'll be indebted to you."

"And I would feel the same to you for accompanying me on this journey. Oh, I almost forgot to introduce myself. My name is Song."

The swordsman nodded. "Kenshi."

"Ah, a fitting name for one such as yourself. We'll rest for tonight and begin our journey in the morning. As I said before, I have a feeling that this trip will be worth it."

* * *

The many days of traveling felt long, but it was almost worth it by the time Song and Kenshi reached the House of Pekara, a place surrounded by mountains and lush trees. The entire sky was covered with heavy dark clouds and there was a wind that blew heavily around the area.

The two travelers were mainly silent throughout the journey. Song mostly started the conversations, and the two would talk about either Kenshi's past opponents or many of the old man's traveling days. At one point, Song asked the younger man where he obtained his two swords. It turned out that one of them he took for himself after defeating his first opponent in a duel. All he mentioned about the second one was that it was a gift and nothing more.

The place was hundreds of years old, Kenshi guessed as he stared at the holy place. A majority of it was gone with only the support beams remaining. A single tree, about a hundred years old, had since grown in the middle of it. One part of the structure still remained, an altar, he realized. A single statue, about thirty feet tall, was still mostly intact. It was of a figure with long hair sitting in a throne, holding a staff with a large falcon at the end of it with one hand, and a double-edged sword in the other. A large amount of moss had since gathered over it. Behind the statue, a large, stained glass window was left untouched and unbroken even after many years of abandonment.

As they entered the grounds, Kenshi suddenly felt a chill run up his spine. For a moment, he thought it was because the place felt strange to him. However, he quickly dismissed it as just being cold.

"You mentioned a few times that this place contained the Well of Souls," Kenshi reminded his traveling companion. "I don't see a well around here."

"I've been told there's a labyrinth below this place," Song mentioned. "My guess is that the well is there. At the moment, it's just a matter of finding the entrance."

With that in mind, Kenshi went ahead and began looking around the area. Song slowly followed him, guiding himself with his walking stick. The younger man went over towards where the altar was located.

It was a few minutes later before, on the left side of the altar, Kenshi noticed a door that was partially opened. Once he reached it, he pushed the door more open and peered inside. He noted the spiral stairs that were going downward, but noted that it was pitch black below.

"I think I found it," he said to Song. "But we'll need some light."

Song looked around for a moment before spotting an unlit torch just next to the door. He reached for it, grabbing the hilt with his free hand before taking it off its mantle. "Do you still have those matches?" the old man asked.

Kenshi nodded as he reached into one of his traveling pouches that were connected to a belt. It didn't take him long to retrieve a match, taking a moment to light it up before he assisted Song in igniting the torch. Soon, the small fire sprung to life, making a few cracking sounds.

"I'm confident now that we'll see much better," Song mentioned.

"Likewise," Kenshi agreed. He then went inside with Song following him.

As they went down the spiraling stairs to the labyrinth, the strange feeling that Kenshi had felt moments ago came back to him. He couldn't quite describe it in his mind, but it left a somewhat unsettling feeling within him. The fact that there was an odd smell that reminded him of long-burned wood and ash to accompany it didn't help the matter. However, the thought of the ancient sword in his hand helped him to push onward.

'_That old man better be right about this legend,_' he thought.

Once they reached the bottom, the two travelers realized that they were about to get themselves in a bit of a maze. They noted a few corners to turn to, but neither one of them were willing to hesitate yet, not after coming this far. Along the way, they noticed a few relics and countless crypts belonging to those laid buried here.

It was a half hour later that they turned to a particular corner. A few feet away stood a stoned, well-like structure, its shape forming an elongated circle. On top of where the hole would be contained what looked like a heavy stone.

"This must be it," Kenshi said as he approached the structure. "The Well of Souls."

"It must be," Song replied. "And if the stories are true, then this is where Sento is located. All that needs to be done now is to lift the stone. Let's just hope that the well is not too deep."

Kenshi approached the well, placing his two swords down on the ground. Song noted an empty mantle on the wall nearby and placed the lit torch onto it to light the area up better. As the young man stared at the stone, he realized that it would take quite an effort to pry it off. However, thinking about the reputation the sword may give him upon retrieving it, he knew that it may be worth it.

"I would help," Song mentioned. "But my strength is not what it used to be."

Kenshi nodded before placing his hands on the stone. With all of the strength he had, he pushed the stone, but it didn't budge right away. With a grunt, he tried again, this time moving it a couple of inches. The swordsman took a deep breath before starting the process again. Already, he felt a small bead of sweat covering his forehead. After a couple of more pushes, his arms were beginning to ache, but he wasn't about to give up yet. With another grunt, he gave another big push.

Finally, he managed to get the stone halfway off the edge, just enough room to peer into its depths, and reach in if he had to. Taking a quick breather, Kenshi stretched his arms in an attempted to get rid of the soreness that developed in his muscles.

Song smirked a little. "Tired?" he asked.

Using his forearm, Kenshi wiped away the sweat that formed on his forehead. "This better be worth it," he said before turning around to face the well. The small light that the torch provided was able to brightened part of the well.

And there, with the steel gleaming in that light, was a katana lying alone in the well. Kenshi found himself somewhat fascinated by the weapon. He had expected it to be rusty and worn, looking much older than his other two blades. However, the weapon looking very new as though it had just been forged not too long ago. The hilt was mainly black with red wrappings going around it, creating triangular shapes that primarily surrounded the four teal gems that adorned it. There was also a small white rope wrapping around it and the hilt's end was covered in a gold-colored piece. The blade itself also had its own design etched in, a long dragon with its body and tail curving going downward.

"Do you see anything?" Song asked him after a few moments of silence.

Kenshi said nothing as he reached a hand into the well, aiming for the weapon's hilt. A cold feeling came over that hand, but the young man ignored it as his palm hovered over the weapon. He took a moment to stretch his fingers before curling them around the handle, and then he slowly began to pull it out of the well.

Kenshi was just beginning to pull himself back as the tip of the blade exited the well. Suddenly, a bright green blast quickly emerged from the well and beamed itself right on the swordsman's face.

To Song, it was a few seconds. To Kenshi, it almost felt like an eternity.

Countless souls surrounded him from his point of view. He raised the sword he just claimed and attempted to slice them down, but it was to no avail as they anticipated the maneuver, moving themselves out of the way.

"What the-" he uttered.

It was then that one particular soul emerged forward. The others looked more like ghostly images. However, this one was solid and real. Its onyx eyes stared intently at him, and his green skin was mostly rotted off, revealing most of his ribs and the rest of his bones beyond that, its organs barely clinging on to him. It then grinned at him, revealing a row of yellow teeth and it raised its hands up, showing off long, sharp fingernails.

Kenshi attempted to raise the sword at the creature, but he suddenly felt paralyzed, unable to move. He then felt himself being lifted up, the tip of his toes barely touching the ground, and the demon hover high over him but still low enough to reach its hands to his face.

For the first time in years, fear came over the swordsman.

The creature's left hand rested on top of his forehead, and with its right hand, positioned its thumb and index finger over an eye. Before Kenshi could comprehend what was about to happen, the creature quickly stabbed both fingers into his eyes.

The sharp, sudden stab caused Kenshi to scream with pain and agony. The creature had only left its fingers in for a few seconds, blood pouring out from his eyes. Then, as though the creature was suddenly drawn away, it removed its fingers from his eyes before quickly departing. With that, Kenshi fell back to the ground, falling to his knees.

Kenshi saw nothing but darkness, still feeling the sheer pain that was inflicted on him. He reached his hands to his eyes, expecting them to not be there, but was surprised to realize that they still remained intact. It confused him, especially since he still felt the blood falling down his face from his eyelids like tears. He could still hear the crackling of the lit torch on the mantle nearby. The young man realized at that moment what had happened to him.

'_I… I'm blind!_' he yelled out in his mind, suddenly feeling panicked.

His hands reached out frantically. "Song!" he called out fearfully. "Song! Where are you?"

There was a few seconds of silence and, for a moment, Kenshi had wondered if the souls that emerged from the well had frightened the old man enough to kill him. It wouldn't have surprised him if that was the case.

Then, he heard a low, deep laugh not too far from him. Kenshi continued to move his arms around, his hands occasionally brushing against the stone of the well. "Song?" he asked again.

The laughing stopped and he heard slow, steady footsteps coming towards him. "Song does not exist," a male voice said to him, one that was much younger.

"What?" Kenshi called out, confused. "Who are you?"

The new voice did not hesitate at the question. "I am the sorcerer, Shang Tsung."

For a moment, Kenshi wondered why that name was familiar to him… only to remember the stories he had been told most of his life. An evil sorcerer, he was told, who had helped with running a tournament on his own private island every generation.

"To think," Kenshi began to say. "That you sought to find out if a legend existed… and yet you are a legend yourself."

"Ironic, isn't it," Shang Tsung said almost in a matter of fact. He looked at the young man's face, his cheeks stained with the blood that seeped from his eyes. The blue color that was once there was now nothing more than a ghost-like image that was barely seen. "It's a shame that you cannot _see_ the potential I possess."

Hearing the emphasis on the word 'see' made Kenshi angry. "You got what you wanted… to find out whether Sento exists. You can see the sword for yourself."

"That's not what I came for," Shang Tsung confessed. "It was _never _what I sought out. I was well aware of the souls that rested here along with Sento. I've lived long enough to know most of the story of this place. The Well of Souls was not named as so for nothing. What guarded those souls was the sword, which truly is an ancient artifact. However, there were… certain circumstances that had me require assistance from a mortal, particularly a young, arrogant swordsman. Convincing you that this sword would benefit you was much easier than I realized."

Kenshi quickly realized what he meant by that. "You knew there was a curse within this well. That's why you had me travel with you to this place!"

"Precisely. Now we both have been rewarded with what we came for. I now possess the souls which keep me alive… and you now have a weapon which now reflects your swordsmanship."

By then, Kenshi managed to get himself back on his feet. With a roar, he quickly moved forward, hoping to slam his fist into Shang Tsung's face, but he unknowingly ended up being a few feet off. However, he was still an arm's reach away, giving the sorcerer the opportunity to grab him by the shoulder before tossing him sideways, causing Kenshi to hit the wall back first. The muscles in his back were suddenly hit with pain as he slid back down to a sitting position on the floor.

"I must admit," Shang Tsung continued as he waved his hands in the air. The howling sound began to stir as he used his sorcery to create a portal. "I had imagined before coming here that the curse of the well would kill you. I did not expect you to become blinded. However, perhaps it will come to my advantage after all… I sincerely doubt that you could leave the labyrinth alive, not in your condition. Soon enough, you will meet death, and your corpse will join with the others in this place."

Kenshi clenched his teeth with rage. "I'll KILL you, you hear me?!" he screamed. "Blind or not, I WILL find you and end your life for your treachery!"

"You have only your pride to blame," Shang Tsung said. "Why do you think I chose you for this journey? You thought only of yourself and your supposed 'greatness,' not ever thinking of the possible consequences. Besides, you're not the only one who wants to hunt me down and finish me off. However, if you happen to get out of this labyrinth alive, I'd be very interested to see if a blind man could keep that promise."

Before Kenshi had a chance to say any more, Shang Tsung took the opportunity to jump through the portal he created. Upon going through it, the portal slowly dispersed, the howling noise becoming more distant until it disappeared altogether.

Then, there was silence, and Kenshi was alone and feeling powerless…

He then noted that he only heard his own rhythmic breathing, realizing that the torch that was used moments ago for light was no longer lit as he didn't hear any crackling sounds from its mantle. He leaned his head back against the stoned wall of the labyrinth, feeling cold from the lack of heat.

Thoughts began to run through his mind. '_Even if I did manage to get out of here, what good would it do? To be the best swordsman in the world was the only thing I lived for over the last few years. Now I'm blind… I can no longer live up to that…_'

As those thoughts left him, he almost became startled at the low, humming noise that began to form a few feet away. Then, to his surprise, he noticed a soft, blue glow coming from that same area. He turned to it and soon saw the katana he had pulled out of the well minutes ago floating towards him.

'_What? What's going on_?' he asked, wondering if he was going delirious.

"Kenshi," a voice whispered.

More confusion came over him. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I am Sento," it spoke in reply. "I am the sword in which you sought from the well. I wish to help you."

Kenshi grew frustrated at that. "The souls that came from that well were responsible for my blindness! What makes you think that I want your help?"

"Because it was he who had tricked you into opening the well," the sword said in reply, referring to the sorcerer. "He had used you so that he was not affected by the curse this well possessed. It was by the will of the creator of this magic that caused your blindness."

The weapon floated closer to him until it was an arm's reach away. "Take this sword. It is yours for the keeping."

Kenshi slowly shook his head. "I'm not deserving of such a sword. In my condition, I have no use for it."

"From this day forward, I will guide you," Sento promised. "I will grant you powers beyond that of an average fighter. You will fight as thought you could see once more. Also… this sword is your birthright."

That last sentence astonished Kenshi, not expecting to hear that. "My birthright?"

"The souls that had rested here are those of your ancestors. All have possessed this sword at some point in the years, leading them to many victories. I will help in your victories in the years to come, including that of the sorcerer if possible."

Kenshi stared at the glowing sword for a moment, trying to comprehend everything he had just heard. He was still feeling the pain from the curse and its aftermath. That made him soon realize something…

"You said you possess power," he said. "Why don't you restore my sight?"

The sword was silent for a moment before speaking more quietly. "I'm sorry… there's nothing I can do to reverse it. All I can do is guide you, if you'll let me."

Realizing that he had no other choice then, especially if he wanted to survive, Kenshi reached his hand out and grabbed for the hilt of the sword. Upon wrapping his fingers around it, he suddenly felt a surge of power within him, causing his body to jolt a little. The blue glow became brighter and the sword seemed to serve as some sort of light beacon.

He saw it like he was only thinking about it in his mind… he saw his surroundings, noting where the corners were. Despite feeling a bit weary, he began to leave the area in the hopes of getting back to the surface.

A half hour later, upon stepping outside, he felt what was almost like a rush of air as the wind swept over his face. Getting himself a few yards away from the altar, he collapsed onto his knees as he felt the pouring rain falling onto him, soaking him rapidly.

Taking the ancient sword, he dug the tip of it into the ground in a slight angle, gripping the hilt tightly with both hands as he leaned against it as though trying to keep himself from collapsing completely. He bowed his head down, by then noticing that he was trying to catch his breath after rushing out of there… or perhaps he was that relieved to have been able to escape the labyrinth alive despite losing his sight.

In his mind, Kenshi thought through all the events that occurred in the last few days. He also thought about what he had just learned from his newly obtained weapon, particularly his bloodline. Remembering that Shang Tsung had consumed those souls made him angrier than before.

It was no longer just about redeeming himself, and it was no longer about the pain and agony that he endured the moment he went blind. The sorcerer had also consumed the souls of his ancestors for his own gain.

'_I will free my ancestors,_' Kenshi vowed. '_And I will redeem myself, even if it takes me the rest of my life. I will use this very sword to end his life!_'


	2. The Village

**Chapter Two – The Village**

_**Ten Years Later…**_

**Outworld**

The tiny village of Sun Do was nestled between tall mountains and forests. It was mostly isolated from the rest of Outworld. For as long as it existed, the village had seen the rise and fall of their world. The people there had, of course, felt the effects of these changes throughout the years, yet they remained mostly intact. This was mainly due to the wise choices of their Elders to stay out of any conflict as long as they, of course, did not betray the Outworld Emperor by joining with his enemies, which were many.

On this particular afternoon, Sun Do was mostly quiet as the citizens went about their day. However, the peacefulness was soon disrupted as one of the villagers, a young man who had ventured out for the day, began running back into the village in almost a frantic matter. Some of the citizens stopped what they were doing and attempted to ask him what the matter was, but he ignored them as he ran passed them.

Sitting on the steps that lead to her small home, a young woman was enjoying the weather of that afternoon when she noticed the man starting to run passed her home. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed the frantic look on his face, and she almost became concerned.

The young woman stood up from the step. "Guangli!" she called out his name. To her dismay, however, he ignored her as he ran off, turning a corner a couple of homes down. She realized almost right away where he was heading and, deciding not be left in the dark, began to sprint forward, her long black hair flowing freely behind her as she followed him.

A few minutes later, the two of them reached a particular spot in the village. The building was still fairly small compared to what other villages possessed, but it was definitely bigger than many of the homes here. It had no name, but the people of Sun Do knew exactly what it was for; it housed the three Elders of their village. There, the other citizens would come to them to either inform them of any news outside their fenced-in land, or to seek advice from them on anything that may have even a minor effect on this village.

The young man, Guangli, immediately went inside, slowing down upon reaching the door. A few seconds later, the young woman caught up with him, also slowing down upon reaching the doors. The two stared at each other for a moment, and the young woman was sure that Guangli was going to say something. Instead, however, he turned around and began heading inside. She followed just a couple of seconds later.

Aside from a pair of windows placed on either side of them, a few lit torches were the only source of light inside. Sitting in a lotus position, the three elders gazed at the two young people that came in. Particularly, the older man in the middle looked at them more or so with curiosity.

As part of tradition, the two young people kneeled down before the three elders, resting the palm of their hands on top of their thighs. They then bowed their heads, keeping silent as they waited.

The elder in the middle spoke first. "Guangli, you're out of breath. Is anything the matter?"

Guangli took a deep breath before replying. "I rushed back here from my hunting trip to inform you of some news I heard from another hunter."

"Does it concern the well-being of Sun Do?" a second elder asked.

Guangli lifted his head up to face the three men as did the young woman. "It doesn't just have an effect on Sun Do… it also effects the entire realm of Outworld." He took a deep breath before speaking once more. "The Emperor, Shao Kahn, is dead."

There was an eerie silence that fell between everyone upon that revelation. The young woman in particular felt shocked by the news, but remained her composure as best as possible out of respect for the three elders. All of her life, she had heard of the many evil deeds of Shao Kahn, and she had highly believed that he would continue to rule Outworld long after the day of her own death.

Now, however, that wasn't the case. At the moment, aside from feeling shock, she wasn't sure what else to think or what the future will bring for not only Sun Do, but also the rest of Outworld.

A third elder gazed over at the old man who sat in the middle. "This is something I never imagined I would hear."

"Indeed," the second elder agreed. He too looked at his companion who sat in between them. "What do you think of this, Renshu?"

Renshu scratched his bearded chin for a moment before answering. "I can only imagine that, for right now, it is great news for those who have long defied Shao Kahn." Renshu frowned then. "However, I fear that this particular victory will be short lived."

"What do you mean?" Guangli asked with concern.

"Shao Kahn had many followers," Renshu reminded the young man. "Something tells me that they will fight for the throne. If they're anything like the former ruler, or worse, the outcome will not be good."

"You may be right, Renshu," the second elder said. "If that's the case, we will have to prepare ourselves."

Renshu nodded as he turned to the two young people in front of them. "We'll discuss more of this later. Right now, Guangli, I wish for you and Li Mei to return to the house until I return."

"Yes, grandfather," Guangli obliged as he bowed to him. The young woman, Li Mei, followed with her own bow before the two stood up and began to leave the building.

Once they were out of the building, and out of ear-shot of the Elders, Guangli turned his attention to the young woman next to him. "You know, you didn't have to follow me here."

Li Mei raised an eyebrow at him. "Well, I couldn't help it. When I happen to see my brother running towards the Elders' house like that, I can't help but wonder what's going on. You and I both have known all of our lives that living here in this world can be very unpredictable at times."

Guangli shrugged. "Well, that's true… but either way, ever since you've started your martial arts training a few years ago, you've gained more than just confidence. You've also developed a habit of wanting to find out everything the very moment something happens, especially if it involves the future of Sun Do."

"I'm sorry if I'm just as a much of a concerned citizen as you are," Li Mei said. "And the only way that I could help is to find out as much as I can."

"But you don't have to get involved with everything," Guangli reminded her. "You're still young. Try to enjoy your life without having to try to help Sun Do with all of their problems."

Li Mei started to feel frustrated at her brother's words. "But I want to help if I can. I at least owe that much to our village. Ever since our parents died when we were children, our neighbors did everything possible to help Grandfather with raising us. They helped us when we couldn't help ourselves. I want to be able to repay them."

Guangli sighed a little after hearing that. "I guess you're right." He then smiled. "I guess, in a way, I miss the little sister whose only concern was to make sure everything in the house was in good order and that Grandpa and I were well fed. Then again, I don't blame Grandpa for wanting to send you to be trained by some of the martial artists here."

"He always said that he wanted to make sure that I was well protected," Li Mei said. "And if that means I have to defend myself at times when no one else can, then so be it. But I love my current training and want to learn everything that I can. Maybe someday, when the time comes, I'll go out into the world and learn more."

Guangli had to smile at Li Mei's outlook on her future. "Maybe you'll be lucky enough to find and be trained under the famous martial arts master, Bo' Rai Cho."

Li Mei laughed a little. "No, that's just wistful thinking even for the best martial artist. Besides, my teachers have told me he' not an easy man to find. Also, you had to be truly the best and dedicated to your training in order to be taught under him."

"You never know," Guangli said. A thought came to him as they both approached their home. "Say, what are you making for dinner?"

Li Mei raised an eyebrow at him. "You just came running back from telling the Elders one of the biggest news to this world, let alone our village, and all you can think about is food?"

"Well… all that running did make me hungry."

The young woman sighed a little. "Of course you'd say something like that. I haven't even decided yet. I have to see what we still have in the house."

"If you can make some of your mu shu, that would be great."

"If I have all the ingredients," Li Mei said.

As the two siblings continued to talk, they began to head back inside the small hut they called home. Outside dark clouds began to loom over the mountains and began to head into the direction of the village.

* * *

Three days have passed since the village of Sun Do learned of the demise of the Outworld Emperor, Shao Kahn. Although the villagers were thrilled that long-time Emperor was finally dead, no one dared to celebrate just yet.

The Emperor's demise and the future of Outworld was the main topic that was heavily talked about amongst the Sun Do citizens. Li Mei herself did all she could to go about her life as usually, mainly focusing on her martial arts training to help clear her mind. However, the more the topic was mentioned, the more worried she became.

"There's nothing to fear," her grandfather, Renshu, had assured one night during dinner. "No matter what happens, as long as we are cooperative and keep to ourselves, nothing will go wrong."

"But what if something happened?" Li Mei found herself asking. "What if anything that's planned for our future threatens the well-being of our people?"

Renshu was quiet for a moment as though he was trying to find. It was Guangli who answered for her. "Throughout Shao Kahn's reign, we've been left alone for the most part. Being in a secluded part of Outworld, there's hardly a chance that anyone will bother us."

Hearing that brought some comfort for the young woman. '_Perhaps we will be okay,'_ she thought to herself. '_We are secluded after all._'

How naïve she was…

It was the middle of the night when Li Mei woke up to screams coming from outside. Wondering what was going on, she barely got a chance to get out of bed to go to the window when the door to her room suddenly opened.

She quickly turned around and saw Guangli coming into the room. "Li Mei!" he said in a frantic whisper. "You have to get out of here!"

Li Mei became confused. "What?"

"You have to get out of here!" he repeated. "Sun Do's under attack!"

A shocked look came over her face, her green eyes widening. "What? Who's attacking us?"

"I'm not sure, but it looks like a group of rebels."

"Where's Grandpa?"

"He went to the Elder house an hour ago." Guangli gave her a concerned look. "I need you to go, Li Mei. Try to get out of here while you still can."

Li Mei clutched her fists. "I'm not leaving! I'm going to help defend Sun Do with my life!"

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard as though the front door was forced opened. Li Mei quickly covered her mouth to keep herself from screaming, especially once they were able to hear a handful of heavy footsteps walking into their home.

"Knock, knock, anyone home?" a deep voice with an unrecognizable accent said followed by a maniacal laugh.

Guangli began to turn around to face his sister when the door to the room was forced opened. Quickly, Guangli got himself in front of Li Mei as four men carrying various swords and knives entered the room.

The four men mostly looked the same dressed in black shirts and pants along with heavy military boots. However, one in particular caught Li Mei's attention, a heavily bearded man with a metal plate over the right side of his face. A red eye was in place of the original one.

"Who are you?" Guangli demanded. "What do you want from us?"

The same maniacal laugh that was heard moments ago escaped though the lips of the man with the metal plate. "Name's Kano," he said almost with delight. "The new rulers of Outworld request your… services. From this day forward, you will serve our masters."

Hearing that there were new rulers of Outworld was almost a shock to the two siblings, especially since the village had not received word of this news. However, they weren't able to fully comprehend it just yet considering the reason these new rulers had sent their lackeys to attack Sun Do.

"I won't let you!" the young man called out before he began running forward, his sword raised.

"Guangli!" Li Mei cried out, but by then, he and Kano were already in battle. The other three that were there immediately began to go after the young woman.

Instinctively, Li Mei shot out her hand. A purple energy ball surrounded by sparkles shot out from her palm and hit one of the three men in the chest, sending him flying out of the opened door and crashing into the room outside hers.

Li Mei was both surprised and relieved by the fact that her attack actually worked at a time like this. Her recent martial arts lessons had her channeling her inner chi, and she was only able to form her energy ball twice before this.

As the second man approached, Li Mei quickly pulled her right leg back before kicking forward, flipping herself backwards in the process. Her foot managed to catch under her opponent's chin, sending him flying back and crashing into the wall, slipping back down on the floor as he lost consciousness.

The third man approached with a knife in his hand. He attempted to jab the weapon at her, but she managed to move out of the way. As she noticed that her foe left himself wide opened, Li Mei flipped herself forward, her foot soon landing on his shoulder with enough force to knock him face first into the floor. Before he got the chance to try to get up, Li Mei slammed her foot into the back of his head, knocking him out cold.

The first man she knocked out of the room came running back in as Guangli's fight with Kano moved out into the main room of the house. Li Mei stayed in her fighting stance, waiting until he was just close enough to make her next move.

As her opponent jumped forward, Li Mei sidestepped out of the way, letting him pass her. As he recovered and attempted to turn around to face her, she managed to get herself behind him. With a battle cry, the young woman jumped forward, nearly flying in the air as she rained down rapid punches into the man's face and chest, barely giving him the chance to defend himself. The final punch had enough force to send him crashing through the window.

Li Mei jumped out and landed outside as the man, though dazed, managed to get himself back on his feet. The young woman ran towards the man, grabbing him by the shoulders before delivering her knee into his stomach, causing him to gasp. She then jumped forward, turning herself a bit as she got behind him. Still grasping on to his shoulders, she got into a hand stand for a moment before letting herself drop, tucking in her body as both of her feet landed into the back of his head. He flew forward as she landed back down with her feet before crashing face-first into the ground. By then, he had lost consciousness.

With that taken care of, Li Mei ran back over to her home, entering back through her bedroom window. The moment she stepped inside, a chill ran up her spine as she realized how quiet it was.

'_Didn't my brother…_' she suddenly remembered in her mind.

"Guangli!" Li Mei called out as she ran out of the room and into the main area. She looked around in desperation, noting the damages to the furniture and other relics in the house

Seeing the door open, Li Mei ran outside, hoping to find her brother there well and alive. To her dismay, however, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Where he did go?" she asked aloud. '_I have to find him and Grandpa. I hope they're okay!_' With that in mind, the young woman turned to left and began running in hopes of finding her family, barely noticing the dying chaos around her.

After only running for a few seconds, a stranger suddenly stepped in front of her, and Li Mei managed to stop just a few feet away from him. He looked different from the others who were attacking, wearing red and gold robes with brown gloves and boots. His black hair was long to his shoulders and he possessed a goatee and a mustache on his face.

A smirk came across his face. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked her, his eyes starting to glow a green color.

Li Mei could sense his confidence, and she was quite sure that he was most likely a good fighter. Still, she took a deep breath before getting herself into a fighting stance, keeping her head held high

"Get out of my way!" she demanded.

"Tsk, tsk," the stranger said, wagging a finger. "The first thing you need to learn is to not speak to your new master that way."

Despite what he just said, the young woman stayed in her stance, a look of her determination on her face. "I said get out of my way!"

The stranger began to slowly walk towards her. "I'm afraid that's not an option, my dear. You see, this world is in need of… rebuilding. With Shao Kahn no longer ruling Outworld, the time has come for myself and my ally, Quan-Chi, to step forward to make the… improvements."

Li Mei's face relaxed a bit, but still kept her stance. She had heard the name Quan-Chi before… a necromancer who had once worked under Shao Kahn some years ago. It was all she knew about him.

"Oh yes, how rude of me," the stranger suddenly said. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Shang Tsung, a sorcerer who formerly served the Emperor. And we are in need of the services of you and your people."

Her eyes widened, having heard the name before. '_But I thought he was only a legend!_' she cried out in her mind.

The look of determination returned to her face. "I don't care what you want us for, but I won't let you enslave me and my people!"

Shang Tsung gave her an amused look. "My, what bravery you possess at such a young age. If only you knew how naïve you are being. Do you actually think that you can stop all of this alone?"

Anger began to build within her. "I don't know, but I'll try even if it kills me!" From there, she jumped forward, ready to attack.

The smirk remained on the sorcerer's face. "Foolish girl," he uttered just before Li Mei began to throw a few punches at him. He managed to block her with ease. Soon, he saw an opening and managed to strike an open palm into her stomach, the sudden pain causing her to keel over as she gasped for breath. He then put a hand out, a little green energy suddenly being sucked out of her. She gasped at this, suddenly feeling her own energy slowly dissipating. Before she could react to what just happened, Shang Tsung quickly shot out a fireball from the palm of his hand, sending her flying a few feet back before she landed on her side.

Afterwards, Li Mei attempted to get herself up despite feeling a bit weak. '_Damn him!_' she called out in her head. '_I… have too..._'

Before she could finish, Li Mei noticed the sorcerer now standing over her. Unsure of what was going to happen next, she closed her eyes, wondering if she was going to meet death at any moment.

'_Guangli… Grandpa… I'm sorry…_'

"Now," Shang Tsung soon said as he picked her up by her hair. She cried out a little as he dragged her back on her feet. "You're lucky that I decided to keep you alive. It's time that you joined with your people at the gate."

"You only… got lucky... with your… cheap shots…" Li Mei uttered just before he grabbed a told of her arm and started to walk her down the pebbled road of her once-peaceful village.

Soon, they reached the group, and Li Mei was horrified by what she was seeing… many of her people were on their knees, seemingly defeated and, perhaps, giving up. There were a couple of them who were dead, most likely those who tried to fight back like she had.

And nearby, Li Mei saw her grandfather being held by a couple of men who she realized worked for the enemy. She was relieved to see him alive, but at the same time, she was worried for him, wondering if he was able to handle all of this chaos at his age.

"Here's another one," Shang Tsung announced. He grinned. "I think we are just about through here, Quan-Chi, don't you agree?"

A pale man, who Li Mei realized was Quan-Chi, rubbed his chin as he gazed at the villagers in front of them with his black eyes. "Yes, this will just about do."

It was then that someone was suddenly tossed in front of Shang Tsung and Quan-Chi. Li Mei looked down and gasped in horror as she recognized her brother. He moaned in pain as he turned onto his back, revealing cuts and bruises on his face.

"Got another one for you," Kano said as he stepped forward. "I would've killed him, but I've got a good feeling he might be of some use."

"Guangli!" Li Mei called out. She did all she could to get out of the soldiers' grip, but as she managed to get one arm free, another stepped forward, slamming his fist right into her stomach. The wind was quickly knocked out of her, and she began to gasp for breath as she fell to her knees, feeling immense pain.

Renshu growled in anger after witnessing that. "Leave my grandchildren alone!" he called out. "Please! Don't hurt them anymore!"

Quan-Chi turned his attention to the old man. "Do as we say, and no one else will be harmed."

Shang Tsung cut in then. "It is time. You will all be constructing a palace not too far from here as your first task under our rule. Those of you who attempt to defy us will be punished. This will include your demise. And do not think for one minute that death is the end of your suffering."

As though defeated, the people of Sun Do heeded his words and soon were being dragged by the minions. Before Li Mei was forced back on her feet, thoughts ran through her mind.

'_My people and I will be free. I will personally make sure of it, even if it takes me the rest of my life. They will pay for what they've done to us!_'

* * *

**A/N: Since we don't know much about Li Mei's past beyond that of the moment she and her people were enslaved, I took the liberty in creating a couple of family members for her to interact with. Also, I'm aware of her story with Shujinko, in case anyone questions the fact that she's already training. More on that will be explained in later chapters.**


	3. The Offer

**Chapter Three – The Offer**

Kyoto – it's a city considered one of the most preserved in Japan despite centuries of ravage from earthquakes, fires, and wars. The city was mostly nestled in between mountains, giving its residents a beautiful sight when standing on one of the city's tall skyscrapers on a clear day. However, a majority of those living here were mainly occupied with their own work, activities, and other concerns and rarely have an opportunity to notice the nature beyond the urban streets.

On one particular night in Kyoto, a pair of American soldiers dressed in civilian clothes entered one of the many bars in the city. Both were off-duty for the next couple of days and decided to use that time to do some sight-seeing, a rare opportunity for either one of them.

One soldier, the taller of the two who possessed mechanic arms, shifted his brown eyes over at his partner. "Why am I not surprised that you wanted to come here, Sonya?" he sighed.

Sonya stared at him with her blue eyes. "Jax, I told you twenty minutes ago that I could go for a drink. Besides, I don't plan to have more than two drinks, _and_ we're off duty for the next couple of days. We deserve it after all the hard work we did the last few days."

Jax had to smirk a little in amusement. "Blowing up a bunch of portals that lead to another realm is more like child's play compared to the other missions we've been assigned in the past."

"I know that. Oh by the way, I'm also buying the drinks."

Jax grinned after hearing that. "All right then. When you order, I'll have my usual."

As they entered the bar, they immediately noticed the other patrons inside, most of them sitting at the tables enjoying their own drinks. A TV played behind the bar table with the volume nearly to the max. Their entrance caught the attention of most of the people inside.

Jax sighed a little. "I'm sure we both stand out really well," he whispered.

Sonya brushed away a strand of blond hair from her face. "Again, just a drink or two, and then we'll be on our way."

The two of them headed over to the bar stand and sat down on the stools. The bartender came over to them not even a minute later and took their orders. They then found themselves staring up at the TV which was playing what looked like a local game show. Of course, the show was in Japanese, a language not very familiar to either one of them.

Jax turned to Sonya after a few seconds of silence between them. "Any new recruits for the OIA yet?"

Sonya shook her head. "Not yet. I know we have quite a team already, but with the future scouting missions coming up, we could definitely use someone for backup."

"Yeah," Jax agreed. "But like I mentioned before, Cyrax is more than willing to be the first scout out on the mission to Outworld."

Sonya had to smile at that. "I remember. He feels that it's his way to thank us for helping him after our last mission outside of Earth."

Jax then shook his head a little. "I know Hsu Hao would be one backup in case Cyrax needs help, but there's just something about him that doesn't sit too well with me. I'm not sure what it is, it's just this gut feeling that I have."

"You've been saying that ever since he was loaned here from the Chinese military to help us with the Black Dragon operation. Like I said in the beginning… if it makes you feel better, we'll get someone else for the job."

"The question is, who?" Jax reminded her. He ran his fingers over his recently-shaved head before continuing. "The other military units aren't just going to loan anyone out just to be a backup for a scouting mission."

"Perhaps we can get a free agent," Sonya suggested. "Someone who isn't part of the military, but possesses enough talent and skills to contribute to what we need until they either decide to leave or stay. Special Forces is always looking for new people like that."

By the time the young woman finished, their drinks arrived and were placed in front of them. The both of them nodded to the bartender with thanks before they each took a drink in their hand.

"Maybe that's the best option," Jax finally said. "Hopefully they are loyal in the end."

"Of course," Sonya nodded. "Now relax and drink up."

The two of them fell silent then as they enjoyed their beverages. Jax found himself staring up at the TV, which still played the local game show. Sonya decided to turn her back to the bar table and look at the scene behind them.

As soon as she turned around, Sonya noticed the gazes from a couple of patrons, who immediately turned away upon realizing that she noticed them. "Men…" she mumbled, rolling her eyes before taking a sip of the liquid in her glass.

Crossing her legs and leaning back against the bar table, Sonya noticed the scene in front of her. It wasn't much, just some of the other patrons drinking at their own round table with a couple of more playing a game of pool in the middle of the room. The TV behind her made the most noise since no one was really talking either.

'_Then again, it is a Tuesday,_' she thought to herself.

Suddenly, the front door to the bar was pushed open with force and a small group of what looked like thugs came in, five in all. Sonya remained where she sat, keeping an eye on them. Jax had heard the commotion as well and he turned around to see what was going on.

"The way they came in, it sounds like they're going to cause some trouble," he guessed.

Sonya shrugged at his words. "Then again, maybe they'll just be nothing more than loud and obnoxious. We'll see."

However, she ended up speaking too soon as the one leading the group yelled out. "Where is he?! I'm going to kill him if I see him!"

The bar tender spoke. "Listen, if you're going to cause trouble, I'd suggest you leave before I call the police!"

"Not until we find that son of a bitch!" he screamed out. "Besides, he'll be dead before the police would even respond to your call!"

The words were, of course, spoken in Japanese, so it was all lost on both Jax and Sonya. However, the way everyone was acting, the two of them knew that things were going to get ugly unless something was done to stop it.

"What's with all the yelling?" Jax asked aloud, though he had a feeling no one was going to answer him.

However, to his surprise, one of the thugs who understood English replied to him. "Unless you've seen a blind man in the bar recently, it's none of your damn business!"

Jax raised his hands a little. "Just askin', that's all."

That was when a noise was heard from the corner of the bar as though someone had placed their glass down on the table. Immediately, Sonya turned her head to the area she heard it from. She then saw someone she's hadn't noticed was there mostly because of how dark the corner was. The blond-haired woman saw the figure, but not very clearly, sitting alone at the table with a bottle of what looked like sake and his finger-cut gloved hand wrapped around a shot glass. He remained sitting, leaning himself back against the chair he sat on.

"It's obvious that you came for me," a gruff, male voice said out loud.

The thugs immediately turned to him. The leader of the group spoke once more as he pointed at him. "There you are! Come out of there so we can beat you to a bloody pulp!"

The man seemed to sigh at that. "I don't have time for amateurs."

Sonya turned to Jax after hearing all of this and whispered. "Didn't the one that spoke to you mention him being blind?"

Jax nodded. "He did. Shit, they wouldn't beat up on a blind man, would they?"

"It wouldn't surprise me."

"In that case, we better get ready for a brawl."

Sonya nodded as she got herself off the bar stool with Jax following after.

Another thug spoke. "Well you better make some time because we're not leaving here until your dead on the ground!"

"… If you want to see me dead, then go ahead and kill me already."

The leader removed a switch blade from his pocketed and opened it up, revealing the sharp weapon. "You asked for it!"

He was just about to run forward when the table the stranger was sitting at suddenly flew forward, knocking the leader and two of his men down to the ground. Witnessing this, Jax and Sonya immediately ran forward, the both of them ready to help out.

One of the thugs who wasn't knocked down immediately ran to the stranger. Once he was close enough, the stranger grabbed for him before tossing him over the bar table, sending him crashing to the floor. By then, the bartender backed away, making sure to stay out of the way.

The other thug went after him. A third, who was knocked down by the table a moment ago, tried to do the same, but Jax saw this in time and managed to grab him. He then turned him around so that they were facing each other before Jax grabbed by the throat and lifted him off his feet.

"Gotcha!" the militant called out before he punched the thug a few times in the face. Once he was done, he threw the thug to the side, who then crashed into a table before losing consciousness.

The thug that went after the man exchanged some punches, which the stranger blocked with ease. Frustrated, the thug tried to pull back, but then, to his shock, he found himself in some sort of invisible hold, unable to move as he was being lifted up from the floor.

By then, Sonya had landed a few blows to another thug before knocking him out cold. She turned to see if anyone else was coming towards her. Instead, she saw one of the thugs being lifted up, his body surrounded by a light blue aura.

"What the-" the young woman tried to say, but before she could finish, the thug was suddenly slammed with force against a wall. He screamed out in pain as a few of his bones shattered before he was then thrown through the front door and to the streets outside.

At this point, only the leader remained. The leader happened to notice a broadsword hanging up on the wall and quickly grabbed for it. "Now you're going to die!"

In reply, the man reached for his back and unsheathed his katana from its scabbard. Without hesitating, the thug leader ran forward and attempted to swipe the sword at him, but his opponent blocked the move with his own weapon.

As the two weapons clashed, Jax and Sonya couldn't help but watch the fight. By then, they were able to see the man more clearly. The first thing they noticed was the crimson-colored blindfold that was placed over his eyes. The two tails of the blindfold behind his head flowed with every movement he made as he fought his opponent. He wore a black karate gi with a matching belt and a black shirt underneath it, red finger-cut gloves, and black shoes.

If it wasn't for the thug mentioning it earlier, the two of them would've realized then and there that the stranger was blind. As he continued to fight the thug, the two soldiers in the bar couldn't help but watch, astonished by his skills despite his physical flaw.

"For someone who's blind, he's good," Jax mentioned.

Sonya nodded as a smile came upon her face. "I think we found our free agent."

Jax nodded in agreement. "Hopefully he'll accept the offer."

By the time he finished, the stranger managed to knock the sword out of the thug's hand. Before he could react, the thug suddenly froze in his place as he noticed the tip of his opponent's blade just an inch away from his throat.

The stranger clenched the hilt of his katana, contemplating whether to kill him or not. Within seconds, he made his decision. "You're not worth killing," he declared as he pulled his weapon away from him. With a yell, the leader turned on his heel and ran the hell out of the bar. When he was gone, the warrior shook his head. "_Koshinuke…_' he mumbled.

Jax turned to Sonya. "I'll go talk to him," he said. Before Sonya said anything, he was already approaching him.

As the man sheathed his sword, Jax approached him before he spoke the only Japanese he knew that was, to him, essential for this trip here. "_Anata wa Eigo o hanashi masuka?_'

The man immediately nodded in reply. "Yes, I speak English."

With that out of the way, Jax continued. "I think after watching you do that workout, I get the feeling that you could use a drink. It'll be my treat. What do you say?"

The stranger didn't answer for a moment before he eventually nodded, accepting the offer.

A few minutes later, after helping to straighten out the fallen items (and kicking out the remaining thugs), the three of them were sitting at a table, each with a drink in front of them. By then, things were mostly calm and the other patrons went on like nothing happened.

Jax was the first to speak. "So… first thing's first, what's your name?"

The stranger took a moment to sip his drink before placing it down on the table. "Who wants to know?" he asked.

Jax had expected an answer like that and decided to go with it. "I'm Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs and this is Lieutenant Sonya Blade. We're from the U.S. Special Forces."

"U.S.? What brings you to Japan?"

"Business," Sonya replied. "We're almost complete with it and will be returning to the states most likely within a week. We were given a two-day break so that's why you found us here."

Speaking of business, Jax decided to get down to it. "I have to admit, you have some great fighting skills. I never saw someone fight like that before."

The stranger took another sip from his glass. "Of course, that's because I'm blind."

Jax found himself a bit flabbergasted to hear that, but he regained himself. "Well… in way-"

"I know what you mean, but being politically correct about my lack of sight is not necessary around me."

"Sure, whatever you say."

"It sounds like you've been blind for quite a while," Sonya guessed.

The man simply nodded.

"What were those men after you for anyway?" she asked.

"I had a duel with an ally of theirs," he explained. "Needless to say, I won… fairly easily."

"I'm sure after that, they won't bother you again."

"Most likely not."

Jax decided to move on before they all went completely off the subject. "About your fighting abilities, our team is always looking around the world for those with that kind of talent and ability."

The stranger raised an eyebrow underneath his blindfold. "You want me to join Special Forces?"

"In a way, yes," Sonya replied. "But you wouldn't be an official member unless you want to later on. You would be known as a free agent, someone to represent extra help for a few missions. Afterwards, you can choose to either stay or leave."

There was a pause as the stranger finished his drink. Once he was done, he placed the glass down on the table. "Thanks for the offer, but I'm not interested. Besides, I prefer to work alone."

"A lot of our soldiers like to work alone," Jax mentioned. He then looked at the blond woman next to him. "Especially my partner here."

Sonya eyed her comrade. "Ha, ha…"

"Of course, it's not highly recommended, but it does happen. At least let us tell you why we need you."

Though the stranger was a bit annoyed by Jax's persistence, he decided to at least listen. He nodded to him. "Go on."

Jax drank a little bit of his drink before proceeding. "After we're done here in Japan, we'll be returning to the states to begin our next mission. It involves scouting and we already have one team member who will be going out first. If anything was to happen to him or if he needs back up, we'll send another agent to help him. That's where you would come in."

As he explained all of this, Jax could tell that the warrior in front of him still wasn't convinced to join them. Then again, it was hard to tell exactly what he was feeling, especially with a blindfold over his eyes.

Sonya decided to continue for the Major. "We're part of a branch called the Outerworld Investigation Agency. It's a fairly young branch, but we're growing every single day. Our main priority is to protect Earth from extradimensional threats. We have a man-made portal set up to send our agents to these realms for their missions."

The stranger seemed to turn his head a little towards the woman after hearing this. "You mentioned having a mission in mind. What is it exactly?"

"Our first scouting mission will be in a realm called Outworld," Jax said. "Have you heard of it?"

The stranger nodded. "I have, but… I don't know much about it besides the invasion from a few years ago."

"It's a long story, but as you may have guessed, it's been a large threat to us for years. Naturally, it's our first priority in our mission. As we mentioned before, we have one man ready to go once we return to the U.S. If anything was to happen, or if he needs any backup, that's when we call in our free agent. Again, the OIA is young, and we're still trying to recruit."

Sonya looked at the blind man. "So… are you interested now?"

The stranger was silent for what seemed like a couple of minutes as though he was thinking about it. The two soldiers let him take his time, waiting patiently before he finally moved his head a bit.

"When do you want me to start?" he asked.

"We'll have you meet at the base of Mt. Atago tomorrow afternoon," Jax replied. "Of course, we have to evaluate you and we'll have you take some tests before you official join. Standard procedures, of course."

Sonya nodded. "Now there's just one question that wasn't answered yet… what's your name?"

"… Kenshi."

"Welcome to the team, Kenshi," Jax said.

Minutes ago, Kenshi was silent as though he was pondering over what to do. Unknown to either Jax or Sonya, however, he already made up his mind the moment 'Outworld' was mentioned.

Yes, he had heard of it before… not because of the previous invasion a few years ago… but because it was the last place he was told where the sorcerer, Shang Tsung, had escaped to some time ago.

For the first couple of years after he went blind, Kenshi spent that time retaining his senses. At the same time, his sword Sento had indeed given him powers… one including heightened senses, which had intimidated him for a while, but he has since grown used to it. He could also sense the energies of those near him, helping him to detect their location. Most important of all, the sword had awakened his telekinetic abilities. With his mind, he is able to move objects even if they were at a far distance, his powers slowly getting stronger with each use as they were much more dormant when he first used them.

After retaining his senses, Kenshi began his quest to hunt the sorcerer in order to free the souls of his ancestors who were in his grasps. For a while since hearing about Shang Tsung's escape to Outworld, Kenshi tried all he could to find access to that realm.

For the Special Forces to make this kind of offer was too good to be true. Still, he was willing to take the offer.

'_My chance finally came,_' he thought to himself. '_And perhaps I'll finally finish this quest._'

* * *

**Outworld**

Over a month had passed since the village of Sun Do was captured by the sorcerers Shang Tsung and Quan-Chi, the supposed new rulers of Outworld. Since then, the villagers were forced to work under their rule from sun-up until sundown. At sundown, they would be returned to their village, where they would be guarded so that no one would try to escape.

They weren't the only village to be ruled over, however. Many others were captured as well, and all have been forced into building a large palace for the two sorcerers, especially to house an undead army for plans that were yet to be revealed (most likely, they would never hear of it). Because so many of the enslaved were working on the building of the palace, the place was nearly completed at this point.

Throughout the day, the men and women would be separated from one another, families forced to split apart during sunlight. Li Mei was at least grateful that her brother, Guangli, would be able to watch over their grandfather during the day while she 'helped' with some of the building with the other women.

Li Mei would let her mind drift somewhere else, more or so to either a happier past, or a happier future. It was what got her through the day, and it also made it go faster. The highlight of her day was to see that her two family members were okay.

Her grandfather had advised her earlier to stay out of trouble. He didn't ask the young woman to promise him, but she at least heeded his words with a simple nod. It was one way to survive, she knew that, and there were times when Li Mei just wanted to lash out at the soldiers watching over the slaves who would verbally abuse them, especially the ones who made sexual gestures at them.

On one particular afternoon, just a couple of hours before sunset, Li Mei would reach her breaking point…

By this point of the building process, they were adding to the roof area. Li Mei and her group were lined up, all within four feet of each other as they worked. Li Mei was tired, she could feel it, but she kept herself going by thinking of happier thoughts as she usually did.

Next to her, to her left, was another woman who was a few years younger from another village. Her name was Pai Lin. Although she and Li Mei barely talked to each other during the day, there seemed to be some sort of silent agreement to look out for each other. Most of the others were doing the same for one another, but for Li Mei and Pai Lin, they always found themselves working side by side, so it was natural for them to think that way.

The job they were currently working on was adding the tile pattern to the roof. The enslaved were to remain on their knees unless directed otherwise. During her martial arts classes, Li Mei had found herself kneeling down for a long period of time as a part of training, so she was grateful for the fact that she can endure it for the most part. Still, she could feel how wobbly her knees were getting, and the young woman had a feeling that she wasn't going to walk right by the time she's finally on her feet.

However, those like Pai Lin, who never had such training, grew weary the longer they remained in that position. As she worked, the younger woman tried to shift a bit in order to make herself more comfortable, but it only offered a small amount of relief. A guard nearby had noticed this and watched her for a moment just to make sure she remained on her knees.

Then, when Pai Lin shifted herself again, she found herself falling to a sitting position sideways. Seeing this, the guard immediately went over to where she was and stood over her.

"Get back on your knees!" he demanded. He then kicked her in the side, which only caused her to land in a laying position.

By then, Li Mei was able to see three more figures coming to the scene from the corner of her eye. She slightly turned her head to get a better look. She barely noticed the two guards as she saw the familiar figure with the strange metal plate and red eye on the right side of his face.

'_Kano!'_ she thought bitterly.

Anger flared up within Li Mei as she remembered how Kano had beaten her brother the night Sun Do was taken over. '_If only Guangli had the chance to kill him then…_'

"What's going on here?" Kano asked once he and the two guards reached them.

The guard who had kicked Pai Lin bent down and grabbed her by the hair before pulling her up to her feet with force. This caused her to cry out, and fear quickly came over her dark eyes as she noticed the four men in front of her.

While the four were 'busy,' those nearby the scene, Li Mei included, stopped what they were doing to see what was going on. Meanwhile, Li Mei couldn't help but clench her fists in disgust by the scene before her.

"This one's disobeying orders," the guard announced.

Kano seemed to think about this for a moment before a sadistic grin came over his weathered face. Li Mei didn't like that look, knowing what he was most likely thinking.

The Earthrealm native stared down at Pai Lin. "I see. Men, I think you know the proper punishment for one such as her for disobeying orders."

The other guards grinned as they heard that. "We couldn't agree more," one of them said.

Kano and the guards then began to surround her. "No! Please! NO!" Pai Lin cried out in fear as tears streamed down her face, realizing what was about to happen to her.

Seeing all of this before her eyes, Li Mei felt something snapped within her. Then, without thinking about it, she threw down the equipment she had in her hands before quickly standing on her feet.

"Leave her alone!" she screamed out. Her voice immediately caught the attention of those around her, especially Kano and the other guards. They noted the determined look on Li Mei's face, and Kano couldn't help but turn to the others working with him and grin sadistically. The other guards noted this and grinned as well before turning to her.

"I'll handle this one," Kano announced as he stepped towards Li Mei, not stopping until there were only inches away from each other. The scent of a mix of alcohol and body order was foul, and it took all she could to not react to the smell. Still, she kept her feet to the ground and her head held high as she stared up at him.

"What was that again?" Kano asked her slyly. "You want us to leave your friend alone? Sure, we'll do that. Of course, we'll have to do a bit of a trade. We'll leave her alone… if you take her place."

Li Mei could hear the guards sneering behind Kano. She found herself starting to feel a bit uneasy, but she did all she could to show no fear. Still, she wondered if her own eyes might be giving away her true feelings.

The guard that was holding Pai Lin threw her down on the ground, the young woman crying out as soon as she was lying on the ground. He then turned his attention to Li Mei, as did the other two, before they all began to slowly approach from behind Kano.

Kano grinned even more. "It's about time someone like you is put to… much better use."

He then reached up to grab for her face, but instinctively, Li Mei quickly delivered a palm strike to his chest, the force making him stagger back a couple of feet. The grin on his face rapidly faded as he left eye narrowed at her in anger.

The other three guards immediately went after her. Li Mei looked over at the guard closest to her and quickly shot out her hand, a purple projectile shooting out in fast speed. The projectile managed to hit the guard square in the chest, sending him flying back before crashing back down on the roof, the force rendering him out cold.

She then turned her attention to the next guard coming towards her. Jumping up, she let herself fly forward as she rained a flurry of punches at the guard's head and chest before one last punch pushed him back and landing next to the other defeated guard.

Li Mei then looked around and saw the other guard in front of her. "That was all just luck!" he yelled out as he ran forward. The young woman waited until he was close enough before perform a back flip. Her feet managed to hit the guard under his chin, sending him flying up. As he fell back down, Li Mei straightened herself up a bit before delivering a forward kick to his side, sending him back before he landed on top of the other two guards.

It all happened within a few seconds and everyone who had witnessed Li Mei taking the guards down was silent. The guards had not expected a slave to retaliate like that. The enslaved were expecting the worse, but at the same time, a small gleam of hope was seen in each of their eyes.

Then again, Kano was still standing. He noted the three unconscious guards before turning his attention back to the woman who took them down. Li Mei stood in her fighting stance, her knees slightly bent, her arm facing Kano positioned low to her waist, and her other arm extended above her head. Her green eyes were narrowed as though daring her opponent to attack.

Kano sneered at her. "Those guards you just took out were nothing more than amateur lackeys! You haven't seen anything until you fight with someone like me!"

Li Mei stared at him. "You don't seem all that much different from them either."

His grin immediately faded at the insult. "For that, you'll die!"

Jumping forward, Kano tucked himself in before launching himself forward like a cannon ball. In almost a panic, Li Mei quickly ducked down from the attack just before she was hit. Kano flew by her a couple of more feet before getting back down on his feet.

The two fighters immediately turned to face each other, and Kano quickly covered the distance between them, throwing a few punches at her. Li Mei parried the first two before ducking underneath the third punch. Seeing an opening them, she landed a blow to his stomach, causing him to pull back a couple of feet.

Li Mei then straightened herself out, and Kano was just about to run towards her again when they both heard footsteps nearby.

"What's going on?" a deep voice suddenly called out, catching everyone's attention. Li Mei and Kano turned to the voice, only to be surprised by the sudden presence of the two sorcerers, Quan-Chi and Shang Tsung.

Li Mei felt even more anger building up within her, especially when she looked at Shang Tsung. It was Shang Tsung who had seen to her defeat the night Sun Do was attacked, never forgetting the sadistic look on his face as he bested her.

After a brief pause, Kano turned to his superiors. "This one tried to rebel against our forces," he said as he pointed the young woman who fought him. "We were just-"

Quan-Chi had noted the three unconscious guards by then. "And it seems as though she succeeded, hasn't she?"

Kano was a bit dumbfounded upon hearing this. "But she tried to-"

"Return to your station at once," Shang Tsung demanded. "We will take care of this."

Kano was mostly frustrated more than anything, especially since he wanted to see to Li Mei's death. Still, he couldn't disobey the orders of the two sorcerers unless he wanted to face death. Without another word, Kano turned around and returned to his station. As he left, Shang Tsung briefly looked at Li Mei and gave her a smirk. The young woman only stared at him with distaste in reply.

Once Kano was far enough, Quan-Chi turned to Li Mei, a smirk coming over his own face. "I'm impressed, and that's a rarity for me," he said to her. "You possess quite the warrior spirit for one as young as yourself."

Shang Tsung spoke next. "This was the one I told you about the night we took over Sun Do. At her age, she also possesses bravery."

"I seem to recall you mentioning that," his ally replied. He then rubbed his chin a little with his black-gloved hands as though he was thinking of something. "Hmm… perhaps this one may be of… good value."

Li Mei clenched her fists as she heard this. "If you think you'll have me as your personal slave, you're wrong! I would rather work to death alongside my people than to befall that fate!"

Shang Tsung nearly laughed at her words. "I imagine your people would find your words most admirable. However, this may come as a surprise to you, but that was not what we were thinking."

Quan-Chi began to explain. "As you know, this palace will soon come to completion. Of course, that is all thanks to the contribution of your people."

Li Mei wanted to kill him just for that last sentence alone, but she remained her composure. She didn't want to make things worse for not only herself, but also for her people.

The pale sorcerer proceeded as he paced around a little. "In celebration of the existence of this new palace, we will be holding tournament in the main room. Only those who possess a warrior spirit are worthy to attend."

Quan-Chi stared at her, stopping in his tracks. "What is your name?"

She mustered up her voice just enough to answer. "Li Mei."

"Ah, a fitting name for one as beautiful as yourself," Shang Tsung said. Li Mei didn't bother to look at him.

Quan-Chi smirked at her. "You are invited, Li Mei. Come attend the tournament. If you do, I offer to free your people from enslavement."

Li Mei took a deep breath after hearing this. "And if I don't?"

"Then naturally, your people will be enslaved forever."

The young woman found herself staring at those enslaved around her, all looking at her. She saw their eyes. It was as though they were pleading for her to accept. She also saw the small ray of hope.

Perhaps this was their once chance for freedom.

Li Mei turned back to Quan-Chi. "Since I don't have much of a choice, I accept your offer."

Quan-Chi grinned. "Excellent. Of course, the tournament will not take place until the palace is completed. We will let you know exactly when it will start. Also, while you attend the tournament, I will personally see to it that your fellow villagers remains simply confined within the boundaries of Sun Do until either your win or loss. In the meantime…" He turned to his ally. "I'll have Shang Tsung escort you back to Sun Do."

Li Mei looked at Shang Tsung, seeing the smirk on this face that she was sure will not disappear for a while. He then motioned her to come before he began to walk. Knowing that she had no other choice at the moment, Li Mei folded her arms and began to follow the sorcerer.

As she left the area, many thoughts ran through her mind. What will the tournament be like? Who else would attend?

Most importantly… was she ready?

'_If this is the one way for all of us to have our freedom, so be it,'_ Li Mei thought. '_Perhaps I will bid my time before I attack our enslavers._'

* * *

**A/N: Anyone who decides to say, 'Kenshi didn't know telekinesis until he met Ermac,' I like to refer you to Kenshi's MK Deadly Alliance konquest mode, where it's mentioned that Ermac only taught Kenshi the telekinetic slam. Play the game (or watch the mode on Youtube) for that information since you can't always rely on sites like Wikipedia.**

**This was also the last chapter I wrote before my long hiatus, so all chapters after this are recently written.  
**


	4. The Challenge

**Chapter Four – The Challenge**

Two months had passed since Kenshi was recruited to the US Specials Forces as a free agent. The day after accepting the offer, the swordsman joined Jax, Sonya, and the other soldiers at the base of Mt. Atago where they were staying. There, he went through his evaluation test as part of the Forces' standard procedure when recruiting new members. It was no surprise to both Jax and Sonya when he passed his tests.

A few days later after receiving clearance from the Forces' superiors, Kenshi found himself traveling to the US, where the main base was located. There, he would be provided with free food and shelter within the base during his stay.

When he was settled in, Special Forces even provided him with a couple of his own outfits to wear. Some of them were form-fitting, but at least they still gave him the option to make swift movements in a fight if he needed to. All red and black, he was told.

Throughout the two months, he went on missions with the other soldiers, mostly with infiltrating terrorist groups. All were either led by Jax or Sonya. For the first couple of weeks, he was told the minor missions were mainly to test out what he can do on the field. Eventually, his skills proved to be very valuable to the forces. Not only was he a talented swordsman with years of experience, but his heightened senses, which could help figure out where someone was hiding before anyone else on the team was aware, made up for his lack of sight.

With the way he carried himself and moved around, it was as though he wasn't blind at all. He managed to earn the respect of the other soldiers. Although he appreciated that respect, he wasn't interested in getting to know the others, or in other words, socialize with them. He would decline their requests to take him out for a drink, preferring to do that alone. It wasn't why he was here, though even Jax would try to encourage him to go out and relax, especially after a hard day's work.

On this particular day, Kenshi was in the training room, using holograms to train with. The holograms were used as opponents and there was enough energy in them for the swordsman to detect. Deciding not to use his sword for now, he instead used his Tai Chi style to take the holograms down.

He only did three waves, planning on ten, before he heard a voice over the intercom. "Kenshi, its Major Briggs. I need to speak to you in the meeting room, it's important."

"I'll be there in a few minutes," Kenshi replied. Straightening himself up a bit, he took a moment to stretch the muscles in his arms and back. Briefly wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand, he soon began to leave the training room.

Ten minutes later, the swordsman found himself in the meeting room. With him was Jax and Sonya, all three of them sitting at the round table in the small room. There was a glass of water provided for each of them, and Kenshi practically gulped the drink down within a few seconds, not realizing how thirsty he was until now.

Sonya chuckled after witnessing that. "Do you want more water?" she asked.

Kenshi placed the glass back down on the table. "No thanks," he replied.

"In that case, let's get down to business," Jax said as he leaned forward in his chair. He took a deep breath before proceeding. "I'm afraid there's a bit of a… situation."

"What kind?" Kenshi asked, wanting him to get to the point.

Sonya continued. "About twelve hours ago, we've lost contact with Cyrax. We thought he was having difficulty with his communicator, but too much time has passed." She shook her head. "We tried to contact him and pinpoint his current location but… it's as though he just disappeared."

It occurred to Kenshi what they were going to ask him. It was why he was here with Special Forces to begin with. "You want me to look for him."

"Precisely," Jax said with a nod. "Since he's only been on the mission for two weeks, it won't be too hard to follow his trail. Once you get to his last location, it might give us clues as to what might have happened to him. We would like to send you there tomorrow if that's okay."

"It's what you've recruited me for," Kenshi reminded him. "I'll be ready tomorrow."

"In that case, we'll get you set up with the necessary supplies you'll need," said Sonya. "Like with Cyrax, we will give you a communicator so that we can keep in contact."

Jax proceeded from there. "Your primary mission is to find Cyrax and return to HQ as soon as possible. While you do that, we'd like for you to resume the scouting mission Cyrax was on. We just want you to detect any unusual activities within the realm."

Kenshi nodded. "Understood."

When the meeting was over, the first thing Kenshi did was return to his sleeping quarters to meditate. He found himself reflecting back on the last decade. He thought of that first year when he trained himself to get by without the use of his eyes.

When he began to travel again, it didn't take him long to track Shang Tsung's movements. However, it turned out that the sorcerer knew of his presence and always made sure to stay one step ahead of him.

Until now, the closest Kenshi ever came to getting his revenge was when he was invited to the Mortal Kombat tournament that the sorcerer was hosting. Kenshi didn't get the invite directly from Shang Tsung, but he did receive it from a warrior named Shujinko, who he had met earlier in his travels as a blind swordsman. He remembered how Shujinko had told him how it was always his dream to win the Mortal Kombat tournament against the sorcerer. This was even after Kenshi told his story of why he was going after Shang Tsung.

All Kenshi had said to Shujinko's intentions was, "We'll see."

Unfortunately, Kenshi never made it to the tournament. On the day he was supposed to be at the docks, he found himself fighting for his life against what he guessed were Shang Tsung's guards. When he was finished with them, he tried to get to the docks, but the ships had already departed. He wasn't sure if Shujinko ever made it to the tournament. All he knew was that Shang Tsung was defeated by the Shaolin warrior, Liu Kang.

Later, Kenshi did make it to Shang Tsung's island on his own time. However, the place was deserted and there were no clues as to what happened to the sorcerer. It was until Outworld invaded Earth, taking the souls of many were taken, when Kenshi got his clue that Shang Tsung was somewhere in Outworld. He had been reported fighting amongst Shao Kahn's Outworld Forces, and though Kenshi sought after him, it was in vain once the invasion ended. At least by then, he knew that Shang Tsung was hiding out in Outworld.

It was just a matter of finding a portal to get there. That's how it was for the last couple of years before he got the offer from Special Forces. He would help them in exchange for their man-made portal access that would take him to Outworld.

This was the closest he ever got since that tournament invite. It would be his big step to finally ending his quest. He will soon face Shang Tsung, kill him, and finally free the souls of his ancestors.

It's been a long time coming.

The next day after packing his supplies, Kenshi went through the Special Forces portal. He wasn't sure exactly what was going to happen once he got to Outworld, but one thing he was sure of… it was going to be a while before he returned to Earth…

* * *

**Shang Tsung's Palace, Outworld**

Only a week has passed since Li Mei accepted Quan-Chi's offer to fight in a tournament that, if she won, would guarantee her people's freedom. It was a story that spread fast amongst the people of Sun Do, so she was not surprised that by the time she returned, her brother and grandfather gave her a disapproving look she had not seen since she was a child.

"Are you crazy?!" Guangli managed to yell out a minute after she walked into their hut. "Do you have any idea what you're getting yourself into?!"

"I am very much aware," Li Mei replied, trying not to yell back. After all, she knew that her brother was only worried about her. The truth was that she would be too if their roles were switched. "But you and I both know that this needs to be done."

"No offense dear sister, but I don't think you're ready for this!"

Li Mei folded her arms in front of her. "What other choice do we have?! Our people are suffering and someone has to stand up for them!"

Renshu stood up from his chair. "My grand-children, please!" he called out. "Guangli, I am just as worried as you are, but Li Mei has already accepted their offer. At this point, there is nothing we can do about it no matter how much we beg and scream."

Guangli combed his fingers through his short black hair in frustration. "I'm sorry, I just…"

"You're worried, I know," Li Mei finished for him.

"You're young," Guangli reminded her. "You shouldn't be taking this burden on your shoulders."

"I had a choice, and this is what I've chosen. And trust me, the determination I'm feeling is going to help me to see this through. Our people's freedom is on the line, and it's now up to me to make sure that happens."

Renshu nodded as though he approved of her reasoning. "Are you sure about this?"

Li Mei smiled a little. "Not that I have much of a choice to back out, but yes, I'm sure."

The old man placed a hand on his granddaughter's shoulder. "Okay. Just… be careful, my dear granddaughter."

She nodded. "I will, grandfather."

For the next few days, Li Mei trained within the confines of Sun Do. The sorcerers had given her permission to spend the next few days training so that she was better prepared to fight. During that time, all she could think of was how much she wanted to free her people… and how she was going to strike against the sorcerers themselves.

A couple of days into her training, a traveling monk had accidentally stumbled into Sun Do. The guards had mistaken him to be a wandering citizen and forced him within the fences. Li Mei had been training on a hill when he approached her. He introduced himself as Shujinko and was curious about her fighting style.

Li Mei wasn't sure why, but she admitted not only her reasons for her training, but also she planned on striking against Quan-Chi and Shang Tsung when the right time came. She wasn't surprised when Shujinko thought her idea was too rash. Either way, he offered to help her out.

Shujinko trained her for a few days while he was still confined within Sun Do. He helped her improve on what she already knew as well as teaching her a few tricks he learned over the years. He would tell her of his adventures as he journeyed throughout the realms to retrieve artifacts for the Elder Gods. Li Mei almost didn't believe it, but she could tell just by how proud he looked as he shared his tales that it was true.

Eventually, Shujinko found a way to leave Sun Do and he took the opportunity to get out while he can. Li Mei understood his hasty departure and bid him good luck on his journey. No, those mere few days training with him would not be enough, but she can at least carry the wisdom he shared with her.

She only hoped that wisdom would help her win.

On the day of the tournament, the new palace that her people were forced to build was nearly completion. All that was needed were a few details, but it was now supported enough for anyone to live in it. Secretly, Li Mei hoped that someone rigged the palace to collapse at some point during the building process… but again, it was only a small hope she was sure wasn't going to come true at all.

When two guards escorted Li Mei inside the palace, it was hard not to notice the green glow that came within. After walking through the foyer, she entered a very large room. Li Mei immediately noticed where the green glow was coming from and gasped upon realizing what it was.

There was a sacred legend told amongst her people for more years than she could comprehend. The Legend of the Soulnado was rumored to be a portal to the heavens. A relic left behind by the Elder Gods, it was sealed away in an old structure within an ancient tomb not far from Sun Do.

Li Mei could only stare at the green tornado-like energy, feeling horrified by the sight of seeing countless faces within the energy. It looked as though the sorcerers found a way to tap into the portal. They were using these souls for some unknown gain.

As for the legend… it turned out to be true after all, Li Mei realized.

Li Mei was forced to get all of this out of her mind. She did notice the countless mummified corpses displayed around her… _must've been some macabre style décor_… but she ignored their empty stares.

Soon, she was brought to an area where there was a small circle of people. The large space in between served as the fighting platform, Li Mei realized. Shang Tsung was sitting at a throne that was placed with its back turned towards the Soulnado. Quan-Chi stood next to him, his pale arms folded in front of him.

When Li Mei reached the fighting platform, she realized that her opponent was already there waiting for her arrival. Li Mei immediately recognized the silver plate and glowing red eye that belonged to Kano.

'_I should've known,_' she thought to himself.

"Li Mei," Shang Tsung called out, catching her attention. "I am glad that you have made it. I can only guess that you've brought not only your love of the fight to this arena, but also your… determination."

Li Mei said nothing as she stood opposite from where Kano was. She only narrowed her eyes at the sorcerer in reply.

Shang Tsung continued. "Quan-Chi thought that perhaps we can start things by finishing where you left off last week at the roof of the palace. With that in mind, Kano shall be your first opponent in the tournament."

On cue, Kano put away the knife that he was placing back into the scabbard strapped to one of his boots. He then straightened himself up before he stared at her with a sneer.

"Hello, love," Kano said. "Are you ready to tango?"

Li Mei kept his eye on him, but she found herself clenching both of her fists on her side. Taking a deep breath, she remembered something Shujinko said during their training.

'_Do not hold the anger you feel for your enemies. To hold it in, it will let them win in the end._'

She took a deep breath and unclenched her fists. No, anger was not what she needed to fuel the fire. The determination to see through this tournament and to be the one to free Sun Do from this hell, that's what she should be feeling.

With that in mind, Li Mei got herself into a fighting stance, ready to face her opponent.

Another sneer came to Kano, which was no surprise. "I'll take that as a yes." Then, he got into his own fighting pose.

"The rules are simple," Shang Tsung spoke. "You are to fight until one of you is knocked out. The winner will move on to round two. Begin!"

Li Mei did not hesitate to cover the distance between them. When she was within reach, she immediately delivered a flurry of punches and kicks, all which Kano blocked with ease. Eventually, he ducked underneath one punch before striking Li Mei's shin with his foot. With a small yelp, Li Mei backed away, but then Kano straightened himself back up and used the same foot to kick her in the stomach. The blow caused Li Mei to gasp in pain as she stumbled back. Despite that, she managed to keep herself on her feet.

After taking a quick, deep breath, Li Mei forced herself to straighten up just in time to see Kano jump up and roll forward like a cannon ball. She barely managed to duck underneath it and Kano ended up flying just above her head. Once he went completely over her, Li Mei quickly stood back up and faced Kano. The moment Kano landed and turned around, she shot out a purple projectile which hit him square in the chest, the force of it knocking him back to the floor.

Even after being hit, Kano managed to get himself back on his feet just as Li Mei reached him again with more punches and kicks. Once more, Kano found himself on defense until he managed to grab her wrist. Li Mei attempted to hit him with her other hand, but Kano was faster as he slammed his fist into her face twice. He then followed it with a head butt to her forehead, sending her flying back before she landed into the ground on her side.

Kano sneered again as Li Mei struggled to get herself back on her feet. "Not so tough now, are we?" he mocked. "You know, if the sorcerers ever asked me to burn down your little village, I'd be more than happy to."

Naturally, that got a rise out of the young woman. With a battle cry, Li Mei flew forward. Once close enough, she unleashed a flurry of punches at Kano's face, pushing him back until the last punch, which knocked him to the side.

She landed gracefully back on her feet as Kano shook the pain in his head in order to get himself back into focus. Li Mei wasn't about to give him that chance, so she got herself back within striking distance and hit him with two palm strikes and two back kicks, causing Kano to stagger back. She then took a step forward and performed a flip kick, knocking him onto the floor again.

She found herself briefly thinking about some more words Shujinko had told her earlier; "_Find your enemies weakness and use it to your advantage._"

Li Mei then tried to cover the space between them again, but by the, Kano managed to regain his senses and delivered a punch to her stomach. With a gasp, Li Mei found herself keeling over in pain. Standing back up, Kano then backhanded her across the face, followed up with a palm strike to her chest, the ended it with an uppercut to her chin, sending her flying up into the air before landing on the floor again.

Forcing herself to get back up again, Li Mei could feel a small trail of blood trickle down the side of her head, but for now, she ignored it. She then happened to notice a small gleam of light and, upon closer inspection, Li Mei realized that Kano was now holding a large hunting knife. She shifted her gaze to his face and, once more, he was sneering.

"Time to cut up that pretty face of yours," Kano declared and began to run towards her.

As this happened, Li Mei ended up thinking about all the people in Sun Do who were depending on her to win this tournament. Even now, she could see the small ray of hope in each of their eyes, something that she had not seen since the village was captured by the two sorcerers.

It was all the strength she needed to deflect the knife by palm striking Kano's wrist. It didn't knock the knife out of his hand right away, but it did give the young woman enough time to slam her foot into his stomach hard enough for him to let go of the knife. With a cry, he keeled over in pain. She then slammed his nose with another palm strike, the hit making him dizzy. Then, she grabbed him by the shirt, pulled him forward, and bashed him in the head with her own. The force of the blow knocked him out cold immediately and he slumped to the floor like a rag doll.

The pain in her head hurt like hell and she was currently seeing mostly stars in her vision, but at least she managed to defeat the scum.

Shang Tsung stood up from his throne. "Winner: Li Mei!"

There was hesitant clapping all around, but Li Mei didn't care. The only thing she cared about was the fact that she managed to make it to the next round of this tournament… it was another step closer in freeing her people from captivity.

She can only hope that she continued to have the same willpower she had now to win this.


	5. The Visitor

**Chapter Five – The Visitor**

The transfer from Earth to Outworld only took a few seconds, but the moment Kenshi stepped into the unfamiliar realm, he was suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of dread. Outworld, as he had heard, was a realm with a dark past, so it was not surprising to the swordsman when the dark feeling came over him.

Using his ears, Kenshi listened out for any noise. For now, all he heard was the sound of the light wind blowing. There were also trees nearby judging by the sounds of leaves and branches brushing together. He could also feel the heat of the sun right on top of his head, indicating that it was high in the sky. He imagined it was sometime in the afternoon by Outworld standards.

"Kenshi, come in," he heard Sonya's voice over the communicator on his wrist. Focusing on the task at hand, Kenshi lifted his left arm, using his right hand to press a single button to activate his side of the speaker.

"I'm here," he replied. "I just entered Outworld."

"Good," Sonya said, and he briefly heard a small sigh of relief from her end. "Do you have any idea where you might be right now?"

"I'm not sure," Kenshi answered. "Right now I'm trying to get a feel of my surroundings. It's about the middle of the afternoon here and all is quiet."

"Okay… you should be where Cyrax started when he first arrived here," Sonya continued. "He was heading northwest from that point."

"That'll be a little hard for me to pinpoint at this time," Kenshi mentioned. "The current position of the sun doesn't exactly provide any clues as to where I'm going right now. I'll have to wait a couple of hours before I can start moving."

"Oh, right. In that case, let us know when you start moving. We'll be in contact. Sonya Blade out."

Releasing the communicator button, Kenshi let his arm fall to his side. From there, he took the time to get a better sense of the current environment he was in. The way the ground felt below his boots, he was definitely on a grassy ground. Whether he was on a hill or flatland he wouldn't know until he got moving.

That was when his sword, Sento, spoke from behind him. "Northwest is just that way." Kenshi saw the sight within his mind, a blue light behind his eyelids glowed a bit to one side… that would be the direction he would need to go.

From there, he began moving… he decided to contact Special Forces later…

* * *

Kenshi would travel northwest for three days straight, only stopping to set up his tent to rest for a few hours. Although he would lie himself back into the bed roll, his resting period was more like a time to meditate rather than actual sleep. Ever since losing his sight and his other senses heightened to make up for it, it became harder for him to get a full night's sleep. Every noise would jolt him out of his slumber, and those first weeks were the worst. Kenshi swore at one point that the lack of sleep was going to kill him for sure.

It was Sento who advised him to use the time to meditate. It wasn't the same as sleeping, but it does help Kenshi feel more rested and focused once he was up and ready.

On the third day after his meditation period, Kenshi packed his things as always after a light breakfast of military grade rations (definitely one of the most disgusting things he's ever tasted, but at least he wasn't starving). He was aware that his two canteens were getting low on water, and he would need to find either a well or a river soon. He was sure that he would survive on it for the rest of the day, but it would be nice if he would get a full water supply before sunset.

Kenshi spent the morning and most of the afternoon walking. So far, there were no clues as to Cyrax's whereabouts, and he has yet to run into anything unusual in the realm itself. There was also no hint of Shang Tsung's whereabouts as of now.

Speaking to Jax earlier, the Special Forces Major had informed him that he would be just near halfway through the path Cyrax had followed earlier. If he could reach the area Cyrax last reported from, then Kenshi would start figuring out what happened to the former Lin Kuei.

Just when the sun was starting to set for the evening, Kenshi's hearing could pick up the sounds of people talking and moving about. He was sure that he was near a village, which would be a good thing right about now. There was no sound of a river nearby, but it was possible that the village could have a well within the community.

With Outworld's reputation, Kenshi was sure that the people here may be hostile towards him. He would simply fetch some water before going on his way, nothing more.

From where he stood, Kenshi began to walk in the direction of the noise. In his mind, the beacon of the sword showed him a shadowed outline of a tall fence that almost reminded him of a military fort. Nearby, there were shadowed figures guarding the entrance to the village. Realizing what direction to go at this point, Kenshi headed over to the entrance.

When he was near, the guards immediately blocked entry to the village. "What do you think you're doing?" one of them demanded.

Kenshi was aware that most people had a hard time reading his face and figuring out what was on his mind. He was sure that it was because of the crimson blindfold he always wore over his eyes. To him, it was usually a good thing because it made it that much harder for any of his enemies to figure him out.

Right now, Kenshi was feeling annoyed by the guard's hostility towards him. From the guard's view, the rogue swordsman simply gave him a neutral look.

"Clearly I'm traveling," Kenshi finally replied after a moment of silence. "My canteen is low on water and if you happen to have a well within the village-"

"You'll have to look somewhere else," another guard said. Kenshi didn't miss the annoyance in that guard's voice. "Well, of course, if you can even see through that damn blindfold. What's with that anyway?"

If Kenshi could roll his eyes, he would. "Look, all I'm asking is to let me fill my canteens and-"

He stopped mid-sentence as he realized that one of the guards pointed a spear just underneath his chin. "Clearly your hearing isn't doing well either!" the guard growled. "Leave and look somewhere else!"

"Let's just kill him," the other guard said as he stepped forward with his kwan do in hand. "The bosses need more souls anyway for his soulnado collection."

Naturally, that sentence caught Kenshi's interest, wondering exactly who their 'bosses' were. Briefly, he wondered if one of them was Shang Tsung, but unfortunately, he didn't have time to ask, not with two guards pointing their weapons at him, both intending to kill.

Raising his arms up, Kenshi's head and hands glowed in a blue aura and he pushed forward. An invisible force slammed both guards against the village wall with force, causing them to grunt in pain. One slipped to the ground afterwards while the other stood on his feet. With a roar, he ran forward, his spear out and ready to taste blood.

However, Kenshi was ready for him and he simply ducked underneath and sidestepped out of the way, letting the guard fly past him. As the guard flew, Kenshi raised his hand again. A blue projection of himself shot forward and quickly landed two punches and a kick to the guard, causing him to stagger back a few feet.

Just within the village, the villagers who lived here had initially heard the argument between the stranger and the two guards, but once they got a view, they found themselves looking at the battle just outside the gate.

The spear-wielding guard let out another roar as he flew forward and Kenshi quickly pulled out his katana in time to block the guard's incoming attack. They only exchanged maneuvers twice before Kenshi managed to slice through the long hilt of the spear, cutting it in two. Taking advantage of the guard's shock, he swiftly cut through his stomach, slicing him in half. The guard gasped in shock and he stood there for only a couple of seconds before falling back, his top half rolling away from his legs for a few feet before stopping, his life soon draining out of him.

"Look out!" someone within the village cried out, but Kenshi was already aware of the second guard trying to sneak up behind him. The guard had tried to be quiet about it, not realizing that Kenshi had already heard his footsteps.

Turning around, Kenshi quickly threw his sword forward, and before the guard knew it, he found the weapon imbedded into his stomach. He keeled over in pain, not realizing that Kenshi had teleported closer to him. He then grabbed onto the hilt of his sword before swiftly slashing his katana upward, cutting the guard nearly in half. Kenshi turned his back to him, and the guard stood there in momentary shock before falling back dead.

Standing straight, Kenshi placed his sword back in its scabbard. He was just about to step away when he heard footsteps from behind him approaching. These were more gentle and slow, and the swordsman realized that whoever was approaching him had no intention to threaten his life.

"Are your guards always that hostile?" the swordsman asked coolly.

"They're not our guards in the way you're thinking," the villager said. Judging by his voice, Kenshi realized that the speaker was an elderly man. Kenshi turned to him as the man continued to speak. "They held us prisoner under the orders of the Deadly Alliance."

Kenshi tilted his head a little. "Deadly Alliance?"

"The current 'leaders' of Outworld since Emperor Shao Kahn's death," the elderly man said almost bitterly. "They had enslaved many villages around this area including this one, Sun Do."

"It sounds like I've given your village the chance to escape."

The elderly man immediately shook his head. "I wish it was that easy, but even if we do escape, we will be captured regardless. Many of us have been weakened from the hard labor we've had to endure. Still, we thank you for taking care of those guards, though I'm sure that they'll simply be replaced soon enough. It should be safe for you to come into the village. If I heard correctly, you needed access to our well to fill your canteens."

Kenshi nodded. "If that's possible."

The elderly man began to walk back towards the village and Kenshi simply followed him. "Strangely enough, the one thing the Deadly Alliance did not do is cut our water supply. Follow me and we'll fill those canteens. Then, I'll take you to my home and I'll have my granddaughter cook a meal for you if you wish."

Kenshi nodded. "I appreciate it." Besides, it was better than eating more military rations.

"Oh, I almost forgot," the elderly man said. "My name is Renshu."

"Kenshi."

The two went to the middle of the village where Renshu pulled up a bucket within the well. Kenshi promptly filled his canteens before the two set off to Renshu's home. "You can stay as long as you like provided that the additional guards do not just keep you here."

Kenshi simply nodded in reply as they went up the steps to the hut Renshu lived in. They barely reached the door when a young woman came out of the hut, intending on greeting her grandfather, but then she stopped when she noticed the stranger with him. She took a deep breath, wondering briefly if this was another one of the Deadly Alliance's guards.

"Ah, Li Mei," Renshu said cheerfully. That cheerfulness nearly threw her off, but she listened. "Stretch out tonight's dinner for our guest."

Li Mei tilted her head. "Do you want me to add the _special_ seasoning?"

"Bah!" Renshu cried out. "That's _highly_ unnecessary my dear granddaughter. Treat him like you would treat any guest before the Deadly Alliance intervened in our lives."

Li Mei understood then as she nodded. "All right." She then went back inside.

Kenshi was a bit confused by that exchange. "Special seasoning?"

They went inside the hut before Renshu closed the door. He spoke in nearly a whisper. "It's actually a code the people of Sun Do had developed. If a guard decided to make themselves at home and make one of us cook, then a 'special seasoning' would be added to their plate… in other words, poison. Unfortunately, no one has had the opportunity to actually use that code yet, probably because the guards are expecting it."

"I see," Kenshi said.

"Speaking of which, I've noticed you don't need much eyesight to get around," Renshu said almost casually.

Kenshi reached up to slightly tug onto his crimson blindfold. "Yeah, I've been blind for some time now."

"I'm not sure what kind senses you have to help you get around, but I must admit, it's nothing short of amazing," Renshu said.

It was then that footsteps were heard as Li Mei entered the living room, seeing her grandfather and the stranger talking. "It'll be ready in about a half hour," she announced.

"Splendid," Renshu said. "Li Mei, I'd like for you to meet Kenshi. He just took care of the guards outside the village. We're somewhat free for now until _they_ send in more guards."

Li Mei's eyes widened with surprise as she turned her head to the swordsman in front of her. "Wow, I'm… jealous in a way."

"You would be," Renshu said. "If I recall, your brother had said that you were looking for a way to get rid of them for the past few days."

Li Mei sighed a little. "Yeah, but if they weren't keeping a close eye on everything within the village, it would be easier for me to make my move."

"It's just a matter of finding a way to take them by surprise," Kenshi pointed out.

Li Mei stared at him. "With that blindfold, I'm sure you definitely took them by surprise for sure."

"I should check up on your brother," Renshu announced. "I'm sure he still needs assistance with forging those weapons we've been making in secret for some time. Li Mei, why don't you take care of our guest until dinner?"

The young woman nodded. "Okay."

With that, Renshu left the room, leaving Kenshi and Li Mei alone. For a moment, Li Mei wasn't sure how to start the conversation, so she simply started with, "Won't you sit down?"

Kenshi nodded before sitting down in the chair in the room. Li Mei chose to sit in the settee across from him. She then tried to think of something to say besides mentioning his blindness (because she was sure that he's heard it so many times before) before he spoke up. "Your grandfather seems to trust me with sharing a couple of information that sounds like a secret. Special seasonings? Weapons?

"Well aside from taking care of those guards, he must've seen something good within you," Li Mei guessed.

"You didn't seem to trust me right away."

Li Mei cleared her throat a bit with some embarrassment. "Yeah, you're right, and I apologize for that. After everything that's happened in Sun Do for the past few weeks, I had to make sure that you're not just another guard for the Deadly Alliance. If my grandfather trusts you, then I can trust you too."

Kenshi nodded in understanding before Li Mei continued. "You don't seem to be from around here."

"I'm from Earthrealm," the swordsman explained. "I'm a free agent with a military faction and I was sent here on an assignment to find a missing colleague."

Li Mei frowned. "Aside from the guards, you're the first stranger to be seen around here if you're looking for information here."

"I imagine he would be hard to miss. He's… clearly not from Outworld."

Li Mei nodded, realizing that Kenshi didn't plan to elaborate. The two were quiet for a few minutes, unsure of what else to say. Li Mei found herself fidgeting with her hands, feeling somewhat uncomfortable by the silence.

Kenshi then reached behind him and pulled his sword out from its scabbard. Li Mei could only stare at the blade, noting the blood left behind from its recent battle.

"Do you have something to clean this with?" the swordsman asked.

Li Mei managed to nod before getting up to grab a cloth from a chest near the washroom. She then dunked it into a bucket of water before returning to the living room. She handed it to the visitor, who took the cloth in his free hand.

"Thanks," he said as he began to clean his sword.

Li Mei sat back down on the settee, and she found herself staring at the sword Kenshi was cleaning. As the blood was wiped away, it revealed its gleaming steel and the etched dragon on either side. Of course, Li Mei had trained with swords and her brother Guangli had an impressive collection in his room before the Deadly Alliance guards took them for themselves, but she had never seen a katana such as this one before.

"That's a beautiful sword," Li Mei said.

She noticed Kenshi briefly stopping what he was doing for a moment before he continued. "It is an efficient weapon."

He quickly changed the subject. "Tell me about this Deadly Alliance."

Li Mei managed to clear her throat again before speaking. "Well, until nearly two months ago, Sun Do was a peaceful village even with the chaos of Shao Kahn's reign. When the Deadly Alliance swooped in, they enslaved us along with many nearby villages. They made us construct a palace for them in record speed. The guards you fought worked for them, of course, making sure that we didn't try to escape. The palace was built around a soulnado, which we thought for centuries was a myth. It was a portal that led to the Heavens, but the Deadly Alliance managed to tap into it."

"Who are they exactly?" Kenshi asked.

"They're two sorcerers working together; Quan-Chi and Shang Tsung."

Kenshi had suddenly stopped cleaning his sword after hearing that, and Li Mei thought, for a moment, that she saw his shoulders stiffen a bit, but then she took it as just her imagination. Then again, if she did see what she just saw, was it possible that the swordsman actually knew one of the sorcerers?

Unsure of what to think of that, Li Mei continued. "They actually have me fighting in their own tournament. If I win, they offered to free my people from enslavement."

She realized quickly that Kenshi didn't like the sound of that. "You need to be careful," he advised. "This tournament sounds like a trick to me."

"I know, and I've heard it from my grandfather and brother," Li Mei said. "But if there was a chance that they will free my people if I win, I have to take that chance. My participation is currently the only hope our people have right now. I've already won one round…"

Kenshi leaned back in his chair. "Your determination to… free your people is admirable. Still, you need to be cautious. If you win this tournament, watch for their trickery. The consequences may possibly cost you in the long run."

Li Mei tilted her head. "It sounds like you've had experience."

"… A little."

In his mind, Kenshi made a decision. "Your grandfather said that I can stay here as long as I need to. I'll… stay for a few days."

Li Mei frowned. "What about your colleague?"

"He was in this general area the last we've heard from him," Kenshi explained.

The young woman nodded. "All right. I'm sure my grandfather would be happy to have you stay for a while." She then stood up. "I should go check up on dinner. It should almost be done."

Kenshi simply nodded before Li Mei left the room. Leaning further back into the chair he was sitting in, he inhaled deeply, his hands clenched tightly into fists.

'_So_,' he thought. '_Shang Tsung is near. It'll be only a matter of time before I end his life once and for all._'

From here in the small village of Sun Do, Kenshi could find a way to reach the sorcerer and finally finish his decade long quest.

* * *

**Reviews are highly appreciated.**


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